Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-11
agreement and inharmony to prevail, as

between the IdllWayS ana the PUBIC.
will admit that there are clamors from
some parts Of the state, but they come
from very small fraction of people, and
1 doubt and submit that doubt that they
are not founded in fact. In this connec-
ton your attention is invited to the ma
tional legislation which has recently been
enacted.
Major Waldo, in the course of his ex-
tended remarks, and in answer to ques-
lions from members of the committee
said that the original design of the "The
Texas Traffic Association" was to pool
earnings of the freight carried by the
railroads in Texas, but since its organiza-
ton, while the same name exists no
money Las ever been divided, and there
never has been physical division of
any freight except cotton at common
points, or, in other words, what are
generally termed functions.
/ The pool results to the advantage Of
the shipper in that it prevents Unjust dis
ordinations, and the division of the
! freIehtS as regards cotton are made upon
q per cent. agreed upon among the roads,
and it is shown that TIE roads carry
! freights at cheaper rates than your own
Legislature Drescribes. The percentage
of tonnage between Texas points has
been materially increased by the associa-
ton, and small towns around large cities
have always been protected.
The railroads would do their duty by
the state under whatever reasonable reg
ulations might be prescribed by law. 1t
was true that they might deprive the
markets OF certain places OF some ad-
vantsges, but in the aggregate they aimed
for the general good of the
people whom they were serving.
1t was not considered fair, for
instance, to put New Orleans on a par in
rates with St. Louis, but such seemed to
bethe demands of the traffic. There
were no advantages which worked in favor
Of places as large as Dallas over smaller
places like CorsiCana and Waco. In
making cotton rates to point it was the
custom to make rate without regard to
rates of the intermediate points. Con-
tiguity to shipping points had some eff
feet. Prior to what you call pooling,
there was a wide difference between
local rates and the proportion which the
same road received for carrying beyond
the state.
Being asked if the gross earnings of
the railroads he represented had been
greater or less "since the pooling" he
said: The roads have not gotten up rates
materially since 1878. l don't under
stand that it is your object to decrease
railroad earnings. | imagine many of
the complaints about discrimination in
rates are wrong, and that these are clam
ors not founded in fact. An investigation
would show this. And where there had
been complaints it was not so much on
account of the roads refusing transport
tation as want of transportation facilities.
There was no boom in the railroads ID
this state, and as q matter OF fact, some
of them have not been able to pay the
interest on their bonds. The bonds were
a debt in the hands of innocent parties
whom they were bound to pay, and eX-
pected to pay. Being asked if there had
not been some pooling arrangements
since the Arkansas Pass Railway connec-
ton, he said the Huntington interest did
make some special arrangements to han
die freights that had heretofore been
handled by ships, but complaint had been
made, and TO the best of his knowledge,
rates were restored. 1t was agreed that
ships were had at such expense that it
would be better to have the railroads
carry the freights. In answer to ques-
ton Of Mr.. Page as to what he would do
in case he was farmer, producing two
or three bales Of cotton yearly, if the
transportation company imposed a charge
of So per bale for its carriage, Mr.. Waldo
replied that he would "Guit raising
cotton"
As to the proposed creation OF q rail
way commission, he argued that it would
be injurious to railroad interests in this
state. You can't select three men, pay
them what your bill proposes, S2500 each,
and hedge them around with such re-
strictions as are proposed and get compe
tent men for such service.
Mr.. Camp-Suppose we make the sal
airy $4,000?
Mr.. Waldo am speaking of what
your bill proposes to pay them. Having
three men to take charge of the property
OF railroad would be like your letting
them take charge of your farm, which l
am sure you would not approve.
Mr.. Page-Is it not fact that in five
states where they have railway commls-
sions, the railroad mileage has since been
doubled?
Mr.. Waldo-In one of these, Missis-
sippi, the commission perhaps added to
the backWardness of railroad construc-
ton. Missouri was one of the first states,
l think, to give arbitrary powers to rail
road commissioners, and her progress had
not been fairly in keeping with her
natural advantages. Georgia has COM
mission and has advanced in progress,
but l dop't consider her progress due to
the railway commission. You can have
one here, and progress, too, when you do
as Georgia did to promote her progress.
When we agree to maintain uniform
rates l don't think we destroy
competition in the business of
the community AS for rebates given by
some railroads there has been none since
the organization of the Texas Traffic As
ISOLATION. 1t was organized to help the
state operate its own laws. Rates on
Texas cotton, etc, were reduced, and in
the general aggregate there has been
reduction of rates. In some little places,
of course, there has been none. AS to
the maximum rate your law allows the
railroad companies regard the rates on
cotton between stations too high, and it
is their intention to reduce them, even if
your Legislature does nothing, and for
this reason l don't think any legislation
necessary.
ANOTHER INDIAN WAR.
New Mexico Indians Threaten to Go on the